Spice chest



July 5, 1966 E, SAXON 3,259,445

SPICE CHEST Filed Feb. 8, 1965 ;n I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I ,6 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,259,445 SPICE CHEST 1 Robert E. Saxon, Carmichael, Calif. (3340 Midas Ave., Sunset Whitney Ranch, Calif.) Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 431,079 Claims. (Cl. 312-234.5)

This invention relates to a spice chest, and has as its primary object the provision of an improved spice chest characterized by a plurality of compartments each containing a drawer which is comprised of an individual spice container normally closed by a screw top, to which top is secured a closure plate for the compartment of the chest including a knob, and indicia designating the particular contents of the drawer or jar.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which retains spices fresh and usable for long periods of time, by virtue of retaining them in the airtight jars or drawers, and additionally storing the spices in the dark, which additionally retains their fresh character and savor.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a chest of this nature which may be simple and economicallymanufactured, and which will incorporate and store a relatively large number of spices, all indicated and available for immediate use.

Other objects residein the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of one form of chest constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a front. elevational view of one of the closure plates for the drawers or jars contained within the receptacle; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the'several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, there is generally indicated at a spice chest constructed in accordance with the instant invention, which comprises a rear wall 11, opposite side walls 12, and a bottom wall 13. The rear wall may be carved in a curved pattern at its top as indicated at 14, for ornamental purposes, and the side walls similarly carved in arcuate lines as indicated at 15. Each of the side walls is provided with a plurality of horizontal grooves 16 equidistantly spaced along its inner end, the grooves of opposite side walls being horizontally aligned for the accommodation of the ends of a plurality of horizontal partition members 17. Each of the horizontal partitions is provided with a series of slots extending transversely of the length of the partition as indicated at 18, which slots interengage with opposite slots 19 in vertical partition members 20. The vertical and horizontal partitions are thus interlocked to form a plurality of equal sized rectangular compartments extending the full width of the rack defined by the side walls on the side thereof opposite said knob; adapted to extend 3,259,445 Patented July 5, 1966 ice 12, the rear wall 11, and the bottom wall 13. Bottomwall 13 is similarly provided with a plurality of spaced transverse slots 21 to accommodate the lower ends of vertical partition members 20. The top horizontal partition member 17a may, if desired, be provided only with slots 22 extending through half the thickness'thereof, but the full width, to cover the top portions of vertical partitions 20.

Each of the compartments 25 defined by the intersecting horizontal partitions 17 and vertical partitions 20 is thus provided with a rear end closed by the wall 12 and a normally open front end 26. The front end 26 is adapted to be closed by a rectangular closure plate 27 having rounded corners 28, and including an inwardly extending flange 29, which seats snugly within the opening 26. Each cover is adapted to be attached to the rotatable metal lid 30 of a spice jar 31, by means of a screw 32 which ex-' tends through the top of the lid 30 and through the face plate 27 and is secured interiorly in a wooden knob 33 or the like. As a secondary measure of attaching the lid 30, the screw is sometimes eliminated (due to character of knob 33) and lid 30 is fixed to face plate 27 by means of epoxy glue, brads, or the like. Suitable indicia 34 indicative of the name of the spice contained within the adjacent jar 31 may be provided on each plate 27. The jars 31 may be round or rectangular, and of a length substantially equal to or less than the depth of their associated compartment 25, so as to fit snugly within the compartments, or alternatively the jars may be round, in which case the screw 32 is positioned slightly off center relative to the lid so as to hold the jar centered in the opening and resting flatly on the horizontal members 17 In each instance the lid 30 of the jar is round and internally threaded, to engage the externally threaded neck 35 of the jar, the latter also being, obviously, round.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved spice chest, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A spice chest comprising a rack including a rear wall, side Walls and a bottom wall, a plurality of intersecting vertical and horizontal partitions defining a plurality of rectangular compartments having open fronts, a plurality of spice jars, each dimensioned to fit in a compartment and each having a circular threaded neck and a circular internally threaded closure cap engageable on saick neck, a plurality of compartment closing members, each compartment closing member comprising a substantially rectangular plate dimensioned to fit in the open front of a compartment, a central knob on the outer face of each plate and means fixedly securing each closure cap to the inner face of its associated plate and fixedly securing said knob to the outer face of said associated plate, each of said plates being provided with a peripheral flange into its associated compartment.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the corners of each said plate and its associated flange are rounded.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the securing means includes a screw extended through each closure cap and said associated plate into said knob.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said spice jars are cylindrical and said screwsare extended through said plates and said caps at an off center position whereby said plates are centered in said open front with the side of the jar resting on its associated horizontal partition.

5. The structure of claim 2 wherein each said plate References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Pecor 31223t Edsell 312-5 Shapiro 21l7f Mankki 2117 Morganstern 312-42 Brokamd 312-31.1

bears indicia on its outer face designating the contents 10 CLAUDE LE Examiner CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

of its associated spice jar. 

1. A SPICE CHEST COMPRISING A RACK INCLUDING A REAR WALL, SIDE WALLS AND A BOTTOM WALL, A PLURALITY OF INTERSECTION VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL PARTITIONS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF RECTANGULAR COMPARTMENTS HAVING OPEN FRONTS, A PLURALITY OF SPICE JARS, EACH DIMENSIONED TO FIT IN A COMPARTMENT AND EACH HAVING A CIRCULAR THREADED NECK AND A CIRCULAR INTERNALLY THREADED CLOSURE CAP ENGAGEABLE ON SAID NECK, A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENT CLOSING MEMBERS, EACH COMPARTMENT CLOSING MEMBER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR PLATE DIMENSIONED TO FIT IN THE OPEN FRONT OF A COMPARTMENT, A CENTRAL KNOB ON THE OUTER FACE OF EACH PLATE AND MEANS FIXEDLY SECURING EACH CLOSURE CAP TO THE INNER FACE OF ITS ASSOCIATED PLATE AND FIXEDLY SECURING SAID KNOB TO THE OUTER FACE OF SAID ASSOCIATED PLATE, EACH OF SAID PLATED BEING PROVIDED WITH A PERIPHERAL FLANGE ON THE SIDE THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID KNOB, ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO ITS ASSOCIATED COMPARTMENT. 